Compassion Without Judgment
Helen Goossens is a nurse in the Bronson South Haven Hospital BSH Emergency Department ED. Her career is one shaped by resilience, compassion and a deep belief in meeting people where they are. With over 30 years of experience across med/surg, critical care, obstetrics and emergency care, Helen brings a calm, steady presence to her patients and her teammates.
Read her inspiring story to find out why she chose to become a nurse and what keeps her coming back.
“If I could return the favor for just one person, my life will be worth it all.”
As a kid, I always wanted to go into tool and die like my dad. I loved the smell of the machine shops and seeing all the different things that could be made. All that changed when I became pregnant at age 15. At the time, I thought my life was going to end. Little did I know, God was working behind the scenes and had a better plan for my life.
A junior in high school, just 16 years old, I had my first son. It was the evening shift and I was alone in my hospital room. I must have looked scared to death, because when my postpartum nurse came in, she sat down next to my bed and said, "You look like you need to talk.” She was the first person who looked at me with compassion and without judgement. I can’t remember how long I talked or cried, but the entire time, she just listened. She was so caring and present. Our conversation did not resolve any of my problems or concerns, but it gave me purpose again. When I left the hospital, I thought, “If I could return the favor for just one person, my life will be worth it all.” The following year in school, I entered the nurse aid program at the skill center and started my journey.
When I became pregnant in high school, I quickly learned what it felt like to be treated differently. I also learned what it meant when people choose to show grace instead. The class I missed the most for my prenatal appointments was woodshop. To pass the class, I had to complete a final project. With all my appointments, and then having my son, I couldn’t finish the project. I assumed I failed the class. However, when I returned to school, that teacher pulled me into his office to tell me, “In all my years of teaching, I have never seen a group of students come together and work so hard to help another student pass this class.” He then reached under his desk, pulled out my end table and placed it on his desk. It was perfect! He said, “I can’t possibly fail you because they worked so hard.” He passed me with a D. And that D taught me another lesson – that people are sometimes working behind the scenes, helping in ways you may not know, and that more people care then you realize. That is healthcare! In healthcare, we show up for people when they need us most.
For the rest of high school, I worked at a local nursing home in laundry and housekeeping, and later as a nurse aide. Once I became a licensed nurse, I got a job at South Haven Health System – which would later become part of Bronson. I worked at the hospital for 20 years in a variety of roles. I started on the med/surg floor, transferred to the ICU, floated to OB to work postpartum and nursery, and later served as a House Supervisor. It was during that time of being floated to OB that I was given the opportunity to pay it forward. Staff would ask me to talk with young girls that had found themselves in a similar situation, to listen and give them the hope that was given to me.
About 15 years ago, I left South Haven to work in the Emergency Department at Allegan General Hospital. In 2023, I returned to Bronson South Haven Hospital and now work in the ED. It’s a blessing to work at the hospital where my family and neighbors receive their health care.
